Union reportedly to sign Algerian goalie

Algeria's goalkeeper Rais MíBolhi dives for the ball during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Germany and Algeria at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Monday, June 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

CHESTER — As if the Philadelphia Union’s task of readying for a visit to Sporting Kansas City this week wasn’t difficult enough, the team’s usual schedule will feature a “major announcement” Wednesday at noon at PPL Park.

The club issued the announcement, which will feature CEO and Operation Partner Nick Sakiewicz and interim manager Jim Curtin, giving no indication in the release whether the press conference pertains to a personnel move.

If it is a personnel move — and given the fact that just eight days remain in the MLS summer transfer window, it’s likely to be — various reports from Europe suggest it will be the signing of Algerian goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi.

The 28-year-old French-born shot-stopper played last season with CSKA Sofia in the Bulgarian top division. He has played for clubs in Scotland, Japan, Greece and France, where he was a youth international and developed in Olympique Marseille’s youth team.

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M’Bolhi has been capped 32 times by Algeria, leading the Desert Foxes to second place in Group H and the nation’s first-ever progression from the World Cup group stage. M’Bolhi was heroic in the round of 16 loss to eventual champion Germany, stopping 11 shots in a man-of-the-match performance that pushed the Germans to extra time.

M’Bolhi was also the goalie for Algeria in the 2010 World Cup match with the United States, a 1-0 American win thanks to Landon Donovan’s iconic second-half, stoppage-time goal.

Team officials declined to comment on the possibility of a move Tuesday.

There was also no update on the situation regarding defender Carlos Valdes, whom the Union are attempting to recoup from a loan move in Argentina after his involvement with Colombia in the World Cup.

It is possible that the Union would have to announce a corresponding roster move to accommodate an acquisition. The Union have 19 players under contract, with the 20th spot presumably reserved for the return of Valdes.

M’Bolhi would then represent No. 21, over the limit of 20 on-budget players. He would also be the fourth goalkeeper on the Union’s roster; the only other on-budget goalkeeper is Zac MacMath. (Backup Andre Blake has Generation Adidas cap protection, while third-stringer Brian Holt makes the league minimum and doesn’t count against the cap.)

MacMath trained with the club Tuesday but was not available for comment.

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Back to things that will definitely happen this week: The Union (5-8-8, 23 points) will travel to Kansas City Friday for a nationally televised contest (8 p.m., NBCSN) having won two straight games at Sporting Park.

The home team will be without several key pieces. American center back Matt Besler picked up a red card in last Saturday’s game against Toronto FC, ruling him out. Fullback Seth Sinovic didn’t train Tuesday, per reports from KC, and is doubtful for the contest.

With two regular defenders already shelved for the season, SKC will have to dig deep once again for center back coverage, perhaps leaning on 17-year-old phenom Erik Palmer-Brown. Also missing is midfielder Lawrence Olum, away on international duty with Kenya in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Aug. 3 against Lesotho.

That tournament also requires the services of Union midfielder Michael Lahoud, who gets his third national team callup as Sierra Leone faces a second-leg tie with Seychelles.

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With the Aug. 6 close of the MLS transfer window in sight, Tuesday featured a flurry of moves that could start the dominoes falling league-wide. Two of the biggest moves involved Union connections.

FC Dallas cleared cap space by dealing midfielder Andrew Jacobson to expansion side New York City FC. Jacobson, who made 98 league appearances with Dallas, was a member of the inaugural Union squad in 2010, having been plucked in the Expansion Draft. Jacobson made 25 appearances for the club, 13 of them starts.

With NYCFC seven months away from its first MLS game, Jacobson will be loaned to Norwegian club Stabaek, coached by former American national team skipper Bob Bradley.

The other move has a more indirect effect, with D.C. United acquiring defender Kofi Opare from LA Galaxy. The Galaxy return the third spot in the allocation order.

Opare’s acquisition is a clear move to bolster depth with the CONCACAF Champions League coming up, but it also suggests that former Union player Jeff Parke, out since late May with a foot injury but now suffering severe migraines, may be a long-term concern.

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Lost in the rumor-mill chaos Tuesday was the actual announcement that the Union will square off with developmental partner Harrisburg City Aug. 28 at Skyline Sports Complex. The teams have met once this season, with the Union knocking the Islanders out of the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 3-1 win after extra time June 17.